# IDEAL vs Lucy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: IDEAL at none against Lucy's 1. IDEAL also leads on iOS requirement (14 vs 26.0). Lucy's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lucy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. IDEAL asks for nothing beyond the download.

IDEAL ships an update every 9 months, Lucy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IDEAL | Lucy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Size | 129 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Syfit GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1260929417) | [Ioan-Cristian Vezure](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896782546) |

## What reviewers say

### IDEAL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ideal-nfc/id1463381254)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Lucy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lucy-private-meeting-notes/id6794497220)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lucy Base | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IDEAL free?

IDEAL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lucy free?

Lucy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do IDEAL or Lucy have ads?

Neither IDEAL nor Lucy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IDEAL or Lucy?

IDEAL ships an update every 9 months, and Lucy every 3 weeks. Most recently, IDEAL was updated on October 26, 2026 and Lucy on November 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*